| G5 155 mm Howitzer | |
|---|---|
G5 on display |
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| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | South Africa |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1983– |
| Used by | Operators |
| Wars | South African Border War, Iran–Iraq War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Lyttelton Engineering Works |
| Designed | 1976–1983 |
| Manufacturer | Denel Land Systems |
| Produced | 1982–Present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 13,750 kg (30,313 lbs) |
| Length | 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) |
| Barrel length | 6.975 m (22 ft 11 in) L/45 |
| Width | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) |
| Crew | 8 soldiers |
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| Shell | high explosive |
| Caliber | 155 mm (6.10 in) |
| Breech | Semi-automatic interrupted screw |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -3° to +75° |
| Traverse | Up to 15°: 82° Above 15°: 65° |
| Rate of fire | 3 rounds/minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 897 m/s (2,943 ft/s) |
| Maximum range | Standard: 30 km (19 mi) Base bleed: 39 km (24 mi) VLAP: 50 km (31 mi)[1] |
| Feed system | Breech-loaded |
The G5 is a South African towed howitzer of 155 mm calibre designed with the help of the Canadian scientist Gerald Bull and his company, Space Research Corporation and manufactured by Denel Land Systems.
Contents |
Beginning in 1963 South Africa was under a UN sponsored anti-apartheid arms embargo that led them to develop an indigenous arms industry to circumvent the arms embargo and to produce weapons systems uniquely tailored to South Africa's needs. During the Angolan conflict the South African Army found themselves at a disadvantage when facing enemies who were supplied with modern Soviet artillery, which out ranged their artillery by a considerable margin.[2] At that time the South African Army was equipped with WW2-era artillery pieces, notably the G1 (25pdr) and the G2 (5.5 inch or 140 mm). As a stopgap the G3 155 mm gun (American WWII vintage M-2 "Long Tom") and the G4 155 mm gun (Israeli SOLTAM M-68) were secretly operated.
With the help of the Canadian scientist Gerald Bull and his company, Space Research Corporation, they developed the GC-45 howitzer which was based on the earlier 45-calibre GC-45 howitzer. After many variations and modifications deliveries of the G5 started in 1982.
The G5 is mounted on a slightly-modified version of a towed chassis designed by Norinco, which also includes a small APU to allow it to dig itself in and move short distances at up to 16 km/h. Using the normal Extended Range, Full Bore ammunition the normal range is 39 km, which can be extended to about 53 km with the use of base bleed or rocket assisted rounds. It is regarded as one of the most potent artillery pieces on the modern battlefield. In 2002, Denel unveiled their latest version of the G5 a 52-calibre gun known as the G5-2000, which featured greatly enhanced range and accuracy over the earlier 45-calibre version.
The G5 gun has been placed on an OMC 6×6 chassis to produce the fully self-propelled G6 howitzer, and won major export sales in this form from the United Arab Emirates and Oman. In response to a request from India it has also been tested on the back of a 4×4 wheeled truck, a combination known as the T5-2000. It has also been fitted into a turret that can be placed on any suitable vehicle. The turret is marketed as the T6 which has already been fitted on the T-72.